The play-in tournament is expected to be approved by the NBA board of governors on Tuesday.
A rule is expected to be passed by the board of governors that will penalize players for taking fouls on fast breaks with a free throw and possession of the ball.
The play-in tournament has become popular with organizations and fans. One of the league's initial hopes with the seventh- through 10th-place teams in both conferences competing to fill the seventh and eighth playoffs spots had been to curb tanking among teams.
The NBA believes that this rule and the flattening of lottery odds for teams with the worst records incentivized less teams to make a run to the bottom of the league.
The in-season tournament is expected to be a topic of discussion at Tuesday's meeting. The in-season tournament and its impact on the schedule and revenue has been a topic of discussion between the league and the players' association.
Collective bargaining is needed for the play-in and in-season tournaments.
According to sources, talks have centered on an in-season tournament that would begin with pool play as part of the regular season before teams with the best records advance to an eight-team, single-elimination tournament. The regular season would be shortened from 81 to 78 games.
The sides had discussed a purse of $1 million per player for the winning team, and the players would likely see more financial and competitive incentives before an agreement could be reached. The NBA is hoping that television and sponsorship revenue will bring long-term financial growth.
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